On Tuesday night, widespread anger and uncertainty swept across Pakistan following online claims that former Prime Minister Imran Khan had been assassinated inside Rawalpindi’s high-security Adiala Jail. The allegations circulating on social media accused the Pakistan Army, under the leadership of Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, of ordering Khan’s killing within the prison.
Although the claims remain unverified, they sparked rapid panic online, intensified by Imran Khan’s prolonged incommunicado detention. Khan has been jailed since August 2023 after convictions in several cases that his supporters argue are politically motivated. PTI leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about his safety and his limited access to lawyers and family.
The allegations were circulated by multiple unverified sources, one of which claimed to be the "Ministry of Foreign Affairs Baluchistan," stating that Khan had died while in custody and that his body was taken from the premises. Certain Afghan media outlets also spread the rumor, referencing unidentified "sources." Nonetheless, there has been no reliable or official confirmation from the Pakistani government, prison officials, or the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party concerning these assertions.
As speculation intensified, Khan’s sisters — Noreen Khan, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan, hurried to Adiala Jail on Tuesday night to confirm that Khan was still alive. They claimed that officers stationed outside the prison physically mistreated them along with several PTI supporters who had assembled peacefully to request updates. Footage of the incident shared online depicts disorderly scenes with demonstrators voicing opposition to the military leadership.
PTI workers held a midnight protest, accusing authorities of concealing Imran Khan’s condition and noting he hasn’t met family in over three weeks. The party says even allies like KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi have been denied visits, alleging that prison decisions are being directed by the military, not civilian officials.
The rumours of an assassination remain unproven, yet they’ve exposed the growing unease between the public and Pakistan’s security establishment. With no official updates on Khan’s health or access to him, a vacuum of information has allowed speculation to spread rapidly.
PTI is now demanding proof that Khan is alive and has called for global human rights bodies to intervene. As frustration spills onto the streets and across social media, one unsettling question hangs over the country: Where is Imran Khan?
